Conventionally, in data processing where real time performance is required, for example, in operation of an editing apparatus that is employed in a live relay of sport or the like in the field of broadcasting, given image data captured by cameras that are disposed at plural locations, it is necessary to search for required image data from respective computers (terminals) storing the image data, and to rapidly collect and perform editing work on the image data. For this, it is necessary to find data that is to be used from computers that are connected via a wireless or wired network or the like and that store large volumes of data, such as plural quantities of image data or the like, to collect the data that is to be used in one place, and to prepare the data into a usable state in advance.
As a technology that selects and supplies required data, a technology is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-27369 which: employs a database to administer profile data of a plurality of users, accepts a selection condition for selecting specific users to whom advertising information is to be distributed, and receives the advertising information; and selects specific users to be distributed to on the basis of the accepted selection condition and the administered profile data, and uses a digital broadcasting system to distribute the advertising information to the selected specific users. Further, as a technology that searches for image data that is required, a technology is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-171434 which searches for video data or a video data portion showing a subject, meaning a desired object, space or the like, from large amounts of video data accumulated in a recording apparatus, with positional data of the subject as a key.